Stuff About Money: Episode 60: Understanding the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite

"I was excited when I finally understood what the radio announcer was talking about this morning on my commute! All of those financial terms made perfect sense to me" 🙂 In this episode of the Stuff About Money podcast, Erik Garcia, CFP®, BFA and Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC, CLTC, share the story that led to that comment from one of their clients. They break down the three most popular indices for measuring stock market performance: the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq Composite.  You will learn how they are similar, how they are different, and generally what the indices track and tell us about the stock market. Episode Highlights: Erik emphasizes the necessity of separating emotions from financial decisions, and its impact on financial success. (3:34) Erik explains discusses the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and NASDAQ. (6:51) Erik mentions the Dow Jones consists of 30 big U.S. companies, with the lineup sometimes changing, such as Amazon recently taking Walgreens' spot. (11:03) Erik shares that the S&P 500, a broader index than the Dow Jones, reflects the stock market's general direction by including a wide range of large companies. (12:44) Erik explains that the NASDAQ Composite is known for its volatility, primarily includes technology and growth-oriented startups, contrasting with the stable, dividend-yielding companies of the Dow Jones. (15:15) Erik shares that the S&P 500, covering 80% of the market capitalization of U.S. publicly traded companies, offers a comprehensive view of the stock market. (20:02) Key Quotes: “There's something called a stock market index. An index is a collection of stocks that we use as a proxy or something to gauge what the stock markets are doing.” - Erik Garcia  “There's a Russell 3000, there's a Dow Jones Industrial Transportation Index, there's an index that tracks semiconductors, if you can think of a possible index or something that you want to track, there's an index that exists.” - Erik Garcia Resources Mentioned: Erik Garcia, CFP®, BFA Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC, CLTC Plan Wisely Wealth Advisors